August 23, 2022

1. The USA incites Kiev to hit Crimea

Washington’s continued support for Kiev during Moscow’s military operation has put the USA on the verge of becoming party to the Ukrainian conflict, Russia’s deputy Foreign Minister, Sergey Ryabkov has said.

“We don't want escalation. We’d like to avoid a situation, in which the US becomes a party to the conflict, but so far we don’t see any readiness of the other side to take these warnings seriously,” Ryabkov told Rossiya 1 TV channel on August 19.

Moscow rejects Washington's explanation, that providing Ukraine with weapons and other aid is justified by Kiev’s right to self-defense, he pointed out.

“Excuse me, what kind of self-defense is it if they are already openly talking about the possibility of attacking targets deep in the Russian territory, in Crimea?” the Deputy FM wondered.

According to Ryabkov, such statements are being made by the Ukrainian side “not just under the blind eye of the US and NATO, but with the encouragement of this kind of sentiment, approaches, plans and ideas directly from Washington,” Ryabkov insisted.

“The ever more obvious and deeper involvement in Ukraine in terms of countering our military operation, in fact, puts this country, the US, on the verge of turning into a party to the conflict,” he reiterated.

The US has been the strongest supporter of Kiev amid its conflict with Russia, providing Kiev with billions of dollars in military and financial aid, as well as intelligence data. Washington’s deliveries to the Ukrainian military have included such sophisticated hardware as HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, M777 howitzers and combat drones.

On August 19 that U.S. President Joe Biden announced another lethal aid package for Kiev of around $800 million. It is 19^th ‘basket”’ of weapons he has initiated that would be sent to a very failed country named Ukraine.

An unnamed official from the Biden administration told Politico on August 18 that the White House had no problem with Ukraine attacking Crimea, which became part of Russia after a 2014 referendum staged in response to a violent coup. The USA believes that Kiev can strike any target on its territory, and “Crimea is Ukraine,” the American official insisted.

2. Kiev openly declared itself the successor of Ukrainian nationalists

This was stated by Sergei Shoigu, Russian Defence Minister, at the First International Anti-Fascist Congress.

“The Verkhovna Rada [Ukrainian Parliament] proclaimed the OUN-UPA fighters for national independence. After the collapse of the USSR, Washington did everything to create an antipode of Russia from Ukraine”, added the head of the Ministry of Defense. These Ukrainian organizations organization have been recognized as extremist and banned on the territory of Russia by decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation made on November 17, 2014.

Thousands of Ukrainian children have been poisoned by the neo-Nazi ideology in the years since the maidan coup in February.  Grown-ups have consistently taught them hatred, calling it patriotism. To that end, the country established a whole network of children's camps, whose instructors had served as punishers in the Donbass.

'Let Moscow Lie in Ruins!' In 2017, the American TV network NBC aired a story about the Azovets children's summer camp near Kiev. Children living in the Ukrainian capital and nearby districts spent their vacations there.

At first glance, there was nothing "criminal" about the camp's program: drills, military training, the reconstruction of battles, and survival skills. However, the main purpose of the program was to ferment an aggressive ideological narrative among these young Ukrainian patriots. A video shot by an NBC journalist showed children chanting inspirationally:

"What is our motto? We are the children of Ukraine! Let Moscow lie in ruins, we don't care! We will conquer the whole world! Death to Russkies!"

This was their motto. This is what their "big brothers", instructors from the neo-Nazi Azov Battalion, taught them.

A Ukrainian girl in the Azovets military camp near Kiev, shouting: Let Moscow lie in ruins! We don't care! Footage from a news report by the American broadcaster NBC.

A Ukrainian girl in the Azovets military camp near Kiev, shouting: "Let Moscow lie in ruins! We don't care!" Footage from a news report by the American broadcaster NBC.

The purpose of their mission was clearly designated: to wage war on Russians, to destroy the Russians as their main and worst enemy. This is how they were indoctrinated with a sense of belonging to the "great cause”.

NBC presented an interview with the camp instructors. They discuss their mission: “The children don't know what war is, and we have to tell them what it is, because retaking Crimea and taking over Kuban are ahead of us.” Kuban is a historical and geographical region of Southern Russia located mostly in the Krasnodar region. Their plans were clearly outlined.

In 2019, Spanish correspondent Ethel Bonet from El Confidencial shared her impressions of the paramilitary children's camp “Leader” near Kiev.

“Eight-year-old Victoria seems like an ordinary girl. And her dreams for the future can hardly be called very different from those of her peers: she dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Or maybe a model when she grows up. But the little girl already feels like a soldier. And one does not preclude her future in the ranks of combatants of Ukrainian army. At war with whom? But her instructors explain this to her. Those either who have been in battles against the ‘pro-Russian separatists’ or who have taken part in sabotage operations by the Ukrainian armed forces in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk republics.”

The journalist noted that “Victoria's determination frightens even adults,” and cited the child's words:

“There is only one Ukraine, and we have to protect it. That's why I came here. I want to learn how to fight. I really enjoy shooting a pistol and walking around in military camouflage.”

In 2018, the Leader paramilitary camp hosted up to 200 children aged 7 to 16 during a 20-day shift. The camp ran for three summer months. Full board was $18 a day. The camp's regimen was rigorous, packed to the brim with drills. Moving between facilities was strictly in formation.

The daily physical training “menu” included swimming, running, physical exercises, obstacle courses, climbing rope. Children were taught to handle firearms: seven-year-olds easily disassembled and assembled automatic rifles blindfolded. They mastered shooting from pneumatic weapons.

The background sounds were ultra-nationalist anthems. The marching in formation and the chanting of the slogans “Ukraine Is Above All!”, “Heroes Are Immortal, Enemies Must Die!”, “Leader Opens the Path! Ukraine Is United! Victory or Death!”

There are dozens of such children's military camps in Ukraine. In the years since the so-called Revolution of Dignity, thousands of young Ukrainians have gone through this school of radicalism and hatred. If the goals of the ideologists of neo-Nazism were quite obvious, what did the parents hope for and what did they want to achieve by sending their children voluntarily to a place where they were trained to be aggressive ethnic nationalists?

Family psychologist Yekaterina Sivanova explained the dangers facing children who attend such "patriotic" camps and how it can affect their psyche:

“In this example, the accents placed by adults are important. Children are being indoctrinated to believe that those people are not human, that they must be killed. The child has no right to doubt; he takes it on faith that those are not people, relying on the opinion of the adults in charge.

3. Ukrainian ambassador accused of ‘ethnic hatred’

Kazakhstan’s Presidential Board condemned Ukrainian diplomat who spoke about ‘killing Russians’.

Such remarks made this week by the Ukrainian envoy about killing Russians are completely “unacceptable,” the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan (APK) has stated. 

Pyotr Vrublevsky, the Ukrainian ambassador to the Central Asian country, his photo being attached here, told a local blogger in an interview about the Ukraine conflict on August 22: “We are trying to kill as many [Russians] as possible. The more Russians we kill now, the fewer our children will have to.”

“In our country, where peace and unity are the key principles of state policy and societal consolidation, such statements are unacceptable and inappropriate, no matter who makes them,” the APK, an advisory body to the president of Kazakhstan, said in a statement released on August 23.

Comment: Is he really ‘an ambassador’ or ’a diplomat’? He de facto and de jure is a gangster, and should be declared as ‘persona non grata’ without any delay. That is the overwhelming mood in Russia.

4. The Ukrainian economy is expected to plunge by 40% this year

The Ukrainian economy is expected to plunge by 40% this year, according to S&P Global Ratings, which raised the country’s foreign currency sovereign credit ratings on Friday, adding that Kiev had completed a distressed debt restructuring.

The agency’s forecast coincides with that of Kiev, issued on the same day.

Economic Development and Trade Minister Yulia Sviridenko said on Friday that Ukraine’s GDP in the remaining months of 2022 could fall by up to 40%, citing the conflict with Russia as a major reason.

Boosting the country’s credit score of foreign debt to CCC+ “reflects strong committed international financial support to Ukraine, coupled with eroding, albeit still relatively high, foreign exchange reserves,” the agency said in a statement.

Major rating agencies declare Ukraine in defaultREAD MORE: Major rating agencies declare Ukraine in default

In its latest upgrade, S&P joined Fitch, which raised Ukraine’s credit score on Thursday. However, S&P warned that “given the ongoing conflict with Russia, Ukraine’s ability to stay current on its debt is highly dependent on factors largely outside of government control.”

Earlier this month, both agencies lowered Ukraine’s foreign currency ratings to ‘selective default’ and ‘restricted default’, respectively, saying the country’s debt restructuring was seen as distressed.

The downgrade came shortly after state-run firms Ukrenergo and Ukravtodor requested a two-year freeze on payments on almost $20 billion in international bonds. The country’s overseas creditors agreed to suspend interest payments and postpone the maturity date of the bonds by two years.

5. Kiev intends to steal Russian gas to Europe once again

Former speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Dmytro Razumkov has assured that stealing Russian gas in transit is legal.

Kiev should start confiscating the gas that Russia supplies to Europe through the territory of Ukraine and sell it independently to the union, former Rada speaker and former head of the ruling party Sluha Naroda, MP Dmytro Razumkov said on Facebook. He opined that the gas belongs to Russia as long as it does not cross the EU border, which means it is subject to Ukrainian legislation on the confiscation of Russian assets.

“The gas that is transported through the territory of Ukraine, it is Russian. Up to the border with Europe it is Russian gas. And what do we do under the law? We can confiscate it,” Razumkov wrote.

Last time Kiev has stolen Russian natural transit gas supplied to Europe in 2009. The West never criticized Ukraine for such robbery.

6. Ukraine still commits genocide crimes against civilians in Donbass

Over the past day August 20th, according to the Representative Office of the JCCC in the DPR, AFU fired two hundred and sixty-eight ammunition from Grad multiple launch rocket systems, 155, 152 and 122-mm cannon artillery, as well as 120-mm mortars.

The fire was fired at the districts of eleven settlements of the Republic. As a result of shelling, two civilians were killed, one was injured of varying severity. Eleven houses were damaged.

Over the past day, according to the Representative Office of the JCCC in the DPR, the enemy fired two hundred and sixty-eight ammunition from Grad multiple launch rocket systems, 155, 152 and 122-mm cannon artillery, as well as 120-mm mortars.

The fire was fired at the districts of eleven settlements of the Republic. As a result of shelling, two civilians were killed, one was injured of varying severity. Eleven houses were damaged.

Over the past day, according to the Representative Office of the JCCC in the DPR, the enemy fired two hundred and sixty-eight ammunition from Grad multiple launch rocket systems, 155, 152 and 122-mm cannon artillery, as well as 120-mm mortars.

The shelling took place against the districts of eleven settlements of the republic. As a result of shelling, two civilians were killed, one was injured of varying severity. Eleven houses have been partly destroyed.

7. The U.S. State Department urged U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine immediately

The U.S. Department of State has called on Americans to leave the territory of Ukraine as soon as possible. A statement issued to this effect was published on 23 August, 2022 on the official website of the American Embassy in Kiev  [source:  https://ua.usembassy.gov/security-alert-u-s-embassy-kyiv-ukraine-6/?utm_source=yxnews&utm_medium=desktop]

It is noted that the situation throughout Ukraine remains unstable and may deteriorate “without warning”. The U.S. Embassy cited safe private ground transportation options as the preferred method of evacuation.

Th Embassy advised the following actions to take: to know the location of your closest shelter or protected space; to follow the instructions from local authorities and seek shelter immediately in the event of mortar and/or rocket fire; to regularly monitor local and international news and social media news channels; to ensure travel documents are valid and easily accessible, and six more measures.

8. Situation on the battlefields

Ukrainian troops have shelled residential buildings in Donetsk using NATO-supplied 155mm caliber artillery, city officials claimed on August 22. An apartment complex in the capital of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) “took a direct hit,” Mayor Alexey Kulemzin wrote on Telegram. Three civilians were killed, he added.

On August 23 AFU again shelled Donetsk by using U.S. M142 HIMARS and long-range artillery. Four civilians have been killed and ten were injured. The Office of the head of the DPR Administration has been hit. Nobody has been hurt.

The Russian Armed Forces have destroyed with Kalibr cruise missiles an ammunition depot in the Odessa Region, where missiles for U.S. multiple rocket launchers HIMARS were stored, Russian Defense Ministry reported on August 21

High-precision sea-based long-range Kalibr missiles near the village of Mayorskoye in the Odessa Region destroyed an ammunition depot with missiles for the American HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems and Western-made anti-aircraft systems," the MoD said.

The Kalibr (NATO classification: SS-N-27 Sizzler) is a Russian cruise missile developed and produced by the Novator Design Bureau. The Russian Armed Forces currently use two modifications of these missiles: Kalibr-NK (ship-based) and Kalibr-PL (mounted on submarines).

The exact characteristics of the Kalibr are not known for certain. According to various data, range of these missiles is up to 375 km against sea targets and up to 2,600 km against land targets, maximum weight of the HE warhead is 500 kg.

The complex entered the service of the Russian Navy in 2012. The missiles were first used during the military operation against terrorists in Syria. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the missile was used on 13 occasions, with a total of at least 99 missiles fired at terrorist targets.

9. Turkey comments on progress of Ukrainian grain deal

“Since August 1, a total of 53 vessels have sailed for grain shipments, 27 of which have departed from Ukrainian ports,” Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said at Istanbul’s Joint Coordination Center.

However, earlier last week, the Kremlin, commenting on a call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, noted that “obstacles for the Russian grain [exports] persist,” which has an adverse effect on the world’s food security.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. addressed this problem to some extent, reiterating that “it is important that all governments and the private sector cooperate to bring” food and fertilizers to market.

“Without fertilizer in 2022, there may not be enough food in 2023,” he warned. “Getting more food and fertilizer out of Ukraine and Russia is critical to further calm commodity markets and lower prices for consumers.”

Written by Vladimir P. Kozin